Best casino welcome bonuses
It has become almost standard practice for online casinos to offer new players a welcome bonus or bonus package. A casino will put together one or more bonuses for a new player to enjoy once they register a player account. What the welcome package contains is up to the individual casino but there are a few popular choices that show up most often.
New players may find it difficult to navigate the multitude of choices when it comes to welcome bonuses and even experienced players can sometimes be caught unawares by subtle differences in the rules. This is where RightCasino compares casino bonuses and provides the best casino bonuses for UK players. On this page, players will be able to find a complete guide of what a welcome bonus is, what one can entail and what terms and conditions are most often associated with such a bonus.
Discover the best welcome bonus casinos
- The Grosvenor brand has a stellar reputation.
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- Buzzing poker client.
- Deposit £20
- Play with £50
- Licensed by the gaming authority of Malta and listed on the Nordic OMX – two good indicators of respectability.
- Strong reputation for fast pay-outs and prompt, professional customer support.
- Great range of gambling products, including 400 casino games, a sportbook, bingo rooms and a poker client.
- Deposit £10
- Get a £40 Casino Bonus
What is a welcome bonus?
As previously mentioned, a welcome bonus is a casino bonus or series of bonuses awarded to a player after they have created a player account at an online casino. Casino welcome bonuses can take many shapes and forms but most (if not all) of them have two characteristics in common – they can only be claimed by new players and they can only be claimed once.
A casino will determine what kind of bonus is awarded, how long it is valid for and how it can be used. This information is most often found in the bonus terms and conditions section, though many casinos also include the most salient terms as small print within their advertising material for the welcome bonus.
Types of welcome bonus
Casinos can and do get creative with the type of welcome bonuses they offer but most fall within the same couple of categories.
Deposit bonus
This is triggered when a new player makes a deposit into their casino account. The deposit must be equal or greater to the minimum deposit amount the casino has set. A casino may also set a minimum deposit limit specific to the welcome bonus, which may be higher than the standard limit.
A welcome bonus may include more than one deposit bonus. In this case, the casino will reward the player with bonus perks on a set number of deposits and the bonus for each deposit may be different.
No-deposit bonus
This kind of bonus does not require the player to make a deposit. It is usually triggered when a player first registers their casino account but can also be activated when a player verifies their account, supplies specified contact details and so on. We supply more information about the right casino no deposit bonus deals including wagering requirements, game weightings and more.
- 11 Welcome Spins + 100% up
- to 200£ on Your 1st Deposit
Free spins
Free spin offers are a popular addition to many online casino welcome offers. A player accepting such a bonus will receive a set number of free rounds, usually redeemable on a selected game or games. Rarely, casinos will allow players to use their free spins on a large choice of slots but most casinos prefer to specify where free spins may be used.
Match Deposit
Many casino welcome bonuses include a casino bonus match. This means that a casino will match a player’s deposit of real cash with a certain amount of bonus cash. These offers are usually displayed as in the following example:
“100% up to £100”
In this case, the casino has pledged to match a player’s deposit by 100% (i.e. doubling it), up to a limit of £100.
Deposit match bonuses will always specify a limit. A welcome package that covers offers multiple deposit matches will specify by how much each deposit will be matched.
Loyalty points
A welcome bonus may include loyalty points. This helps the player jumpstart their collection and brings them closer to being able to redeem their points for perks or prizes.
Bonus cash
Some casinos offer players bonus cash as all or part of a welcome bonus. Some of the best online casinos offer no deposit bonuses which may not be necessary in order to claim this welcome bonus, though the casino may only award bonus cash if a player has completed certain account activities like filling in their contact details or referring a friend.
Reward wheel spins
In some welcome bonuses, players will note that the casino is offering spins on a reward wheel, which is run by the casino itself. This is usually a simple game of chance, with a guaranteed prize. Rizk casino, for instance, offers new players a turn on the Wheel of Rizk, which can pay out in bonus cash or free spins.
- Fun, modern approach to casino entertainment.
- Provisions in place to protect problem gamblers.
- Certified as fair by reliable Swedish auditing body.
- Get 50 Free Spins on Sign Up
- on Lucky Mr Green
- Easy to navigate, intuitive design
- Daily cash tournaments
- 100% welcome bonus up to £100 + 100 spins for new players
- 50% up to £150
- and 150 spins
- The Grosvenor brand has a stellar reputation.
- Manual flushing available.
- Buzzing poker client.
- Deposit £20
- Play with £50
- Transparent about responsible gambling and fair pay-outs.
- Excellent slot game catalogue.
- Intuitive user interface and great user experience overall.
- 11 Welcome Spins + 100% up
- to 200£ on Your 1st Deposit
Using your welcome bonus
Making use of your welcome bonus appropriately is a good way to enjoy casino entertainment over a longer period of time. Here are a few things to keep in mind when learning about a welcome bonus and deciding if it’s right for you.
Time limits
All bonuses, of any kind, are bound by a time limit. The casino itself sets these limits, which can range from days to months. Information on the time limits on using a bonus, meeting wagering requirements and so on can be found in the terms and conditions.
Game weightings, exclusions and bet limits
Bonuses are usually subject to wagering requirements (unless it is a wager-free bonus). Casinos often impose different game weightings for the various types of games they host, which means that play on one sort of game may go further towards meeting requirements than play on another.
Slots are usually assigned 100% game weighting while table games like roulette and blackjack as often assigned much lower percentages.
Some game categories are excluded altogether. Jackpot games, for example, often contribute 0% to wagering requirements, even if they are technically slot games. Game weightings and exclusions can be found in the terms and conditions.
Casinos can also set a limit on the size of bets used to meet wagering requirements. This is to prevent players from wagering exceedingly high.
Free spins restrictions
In casinos that offer free spins bonuses, it is common to see rules specific to free spins. Most free spins bonuses are limited to play on a named slot or slots. Some casinos allow broader use of free spins – all NetEnt slots games may be eligible, for example.
Casinos will set a limit on the amount of winnings that can be claimed from free spins as well as limits on how much can be withdrawn. Free spins are always subject to time limits.
One bonus at a time
The large majority of casinos restrict players to one active bonus at a time. It may be possible, depending on the casino, to collect a bonus and activate it at a later date, particularly if it forms part of an ongoing promotion. The terms and conditions of the promotion/bonus will set out the rules.
Activating a second bonus simultaneously may result in the forfeiture of the first one or even account suspension, depending on the particular casino’s views on bonus abuse.
Bonus codes
Some bonuses can only be triggered when the player inputs a specific bonus code when making a deposit. Codes may or may not be exclusive, and can be claimed in a variety of ways – through casino promotion emails or the casino itself, exclusively through player support, via affiliated sites and so on.
Bonus codes must be typed in exactly right or better yet, copied and pasted into the relevant field.
Players who accidentally forget to use a bonus code when making a deposit should contact player support immediately – a resolution could be found that sees the player still able to claim the bonus.
- Get 50 Free Spins on Sign Up
- on Lucky Mr Green
- 50% up to £150
- and 150 spins
- 50 Spins on Big Bass Splash
- + 100% Bonus Up To £100
- 100% MATCH BONUS up to £50
- + 20 SPINS
Key tips to remember
The secret to finding the best casino welcome bonus is simple – it’s finding the best welcome bonus for you. Choosing the bonus that works for you is easier when you have the right knowledge to make the correct decision. Below are some things to keep in mind when deciding which welcome bonus to choose.
Payment method exclusions
Some online casinos can choose to exclude deposits made via certain payment methods as ineligible. Neteller and Skrill are the most frequently excluded methods and such a casino will not reward these deposits with a bonus.
Does the bonus suit my play?
Players who predominantly enjoy table games may not see much value in a deposit bonus that awards only free spins on slot games. A casino geared more specifically towards table games will offer a welcome bonus that appeals to its target audience, so look out for these kinds of offers.
Bonuses may include many parts
We have seen casinos rewarding players for not just their their first and second deposits but up to their fifth as well. If you are not keen on this kind of multi-part bonus (and the wagering requirements that come with it), you may be better served elsewhere.
Always read the T&Cs
The terms and conditions will contain every single bit of information you need to know about a casino and the bonuses it offers. Expiry times, wagering requirements, game weightings, exclusions and other crucial info is all available in one place. Reading the T&Cs will ensure you know exactly what a bonus entails and how you may or may not use it.
Bonuses are not mandatory
New players in particular may feel pressured into claiming a casino bonus. There is no casino that forces its players to accept a bonus and many make the effort to display the ‘Opt Out’ option at several stages of the depositing process.
If you do not like a particular bonus, you should feel free to ignore it. Remember, a casino bonus is meant to be a good thing – if you don’t think it will be, there’s no harm in walking away and waiting for a better one.
